Animated display



ANIMATED DISPLAY Filed Oct. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 c. H. KRAEMERANIMATED DISPLAY Filed Oct. 24, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb.7,1939

ANIMATED DISPLAY 7 Chester H. Kraemer, Scranton, Pa., assignor toGeneral Outdoor Advertising 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of NewJersey Application October 24,

, 12 Claims. My invention relates to animated advertising displays, andespecially to a type of sign intended for outdoor advertising, butcapable also of-being built on amuch smaller scale for use larly,myinvention consists of an animated display adapted" to create an illusionof pouring liquids from one container into another container. j a

The mechanism which I have chosen to illustrate myinvention is adaptedto operate a sign which creates the illusion of a liquid pouring from-"abottle into a glass. The mechanism consists of two cams simultaneouslyrotating with a motor drivendisplay member bearing a representation of amoving liquid upon its face. These two cams are adapted to impart anoscillatory motion to two other display members, which reproduce,respectively, the motion of a hand tilting a bottle, and a glass beingfilled with liquid and "foam." I reoognizethat the use of cam-operateddisplay members, simulating moving figures, animals, or vehicles, isold; and that many interesting but rather complex methods have beendevised for simulating flowing liquids. 'However, to the best of myknowledge, the use oi a rotating display member simulating thetransferof a liquid from a second displaymember to a third :displaymember, said 30. first member mechanically actuating the two oscillatingmembers, is new.

' Accordingly, one of; the objects of my inventioniis the production ofan animated display simulating the transfer of fluid from one con- -tainer to another. 3

Another object of my invention is the produc'tion of an animated displayof the class described in which a continuously rotating display membercreates an illusion of liquid trans- 'fer' between two oscillatingdisplay members, each mechanically actuated by said first displaymember.

Another'obiect of my invention is the pro ductio'n' of an animatedoutdoor advertising disp'l'ay" whose, mechanical construction is of thesimple, .rugged,;and eificient nature demanded by this type of service.T

Other-objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from aconsideration of the following specification, read in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

.1 .is a front elevation of the invention, showing the bottle in araised position subse- 55 quent to pouring;

as an animatedwindow display. 'More particu- 1938, Serial No. 236,632(01. 40-34) Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the invention, showing thebottle lowered, while pouring;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation ofthe invention, showing the position of themechanism while the bottle is in the pouring position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

'Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional View, taken along the lines 66 of Fig.3.

In all of the figures, like reference numerals refer to like parts.

The mechanism of the sign is mounted upon a heavy framework, shown inpart at H]. A large stationary display board II provides additionalsupport for the mechanism and serves as an attractive background for thedisplay members. The display board Il may be braced against thebuffeting of the winds by means of braces l4. Directly behind board H ismounted a rotating display member I6 comprising a framework made up ofradial spokes l'l emanating from gusset plate l5 and rim pieces I8,covered with and stiffened by means of an annular strip IQ of displayboard, or other material such as sheet iron or Masonite. The rotatingdisplay member turns upon a shaft passing through gusset plate l5, andpivoted in a socket 2| mounted on display board II and supported byjournal 22 mounted on the supporting framework Ill. The rotating displaymember l6 has painted or printed upon it a representation of flowingliquid extending through a semicircle, as indicated at 23, in aposition'behind a slot l2 in the display board H. The outline of thisslot is that of a stream of liquid pouring from a bottle 25 held in adown-tilted position, into a glass 36. Accordingly, liquid will appearto be flowing during that half of a revolution of the display member l6during which the representation of the pouring liquid 23 is moving pastand behind slot I 2.

The spokes ll of display member l6 carry two cams and 36, which arespacedly supported at a slight distance from the spokes l! by means ofspacing rods 31. These cams 35 and 36 may be conveniently formed out ofchannel members, which guide the rollers 46 of follower members 38 and39, respectively. A cross section of the channel and roller constructionis given in Fig. 6. The cams are usually formed by running the channelthrough a suitable bending machine, and after the desired contour hasbeen reached, joining the ends of the channel member to produce thecontinuous cam. Although I have shown the contour of my cams in thedrawings, I wish it to be understood that this contour may be adjustedto bring about the most realistic illusion of pouring when the sign isviewed from a distance. The ability to alter the shape of the camsallows some scope for the exercise of artistic ingenuity on the part ofthe artist designing the display.

The glass 30, and the hand 3i are anintegral panel structure of wood,Masonite or similar material, painted to represent a human hand holdinga glass. It is to be noted, however, that the edges of the glass onlyare reproduced; thus giving the appearance of transparent glass, behindwhich the flowing liquid is visible. The. ap-

pearance of liquid filling the glass iscreated-by a moving displaymember 32, painted to resemble liquid in a glass, with foam floatingontop of the liquid. This display member is vertically oscillated by anarm 33 attached tothe cam follower 3 9, which is pivoted to displayboard H by means of pivot 34. Follower 39 bears a roller 49 engaging thecam 36 and is oscillated thereby. It is. desirable that follower 39 beof a balanced construction, in order to impose as small a load oncam-36as possible. When cam 36 rotates with display member [6, anoscillatingmotion is imparted to display member 3 2, producing theimpression of liquid rising and falling in glass 30. The motion of theliquid simulating member 32 is naturally coordinated with the; tiltingof bottle 25, as will be described later.

The display member'25 consisting of a bottle and a human hand holdingthe bottle are an.

integral panel structure, having the details of bottle and hand suitablypainted or printed thereon. The display member 2-5is pivoted upon theend of a shaft- 26 journaled through display board II The shaft 26 isgiven'an oscillating movement by means of counterbalanced crank 21,pivoted thereupon, and actuated by cam follower, 38 linked to crank 21by means of pin 28 and slidably supported upon shaft 20 by means of fork29. Follower 38 bears a roller 40- actuated by cam 35' aspreviouslydescribed. The shape of cam 35, is such'asto give a tilting motion todisplay member 25, simulating the motion of a hand; tilting a bottle.Power for operating the sign'may be obtained from. an electric motor 5connected to shaft 211 through two chain and sprocket speedreductiondrives l and" 9;

The operation ofthe sign isas follows. Display member l6 rotatescontinuously. At. the time that the last of the'flowing fluidrepresentation 23. passes the slot, l2, the bottle and hand. 25, tiltupwardly, thus making the flow of liquid seem to cease because of theupward tilting of the bottle. At thesame time, the liquid levelindicating member 32 in glass 30 quickly moves down, out of sight behindhand 3|. After rotating display member l6 has turned throughapproximately ahalf revolution, bottle '25, again moves down in apouring position, the liquid representation 23 rotates past slot l2,producingan illusion of, liquid pouring into. glass '30. At the sametime, the liquid level indicating display member 32 rises in glass 30,simulating the filling of the glass with liquid being poured from thebottle. The described operations are then repeated. A complete cycle ofoperation occurs at every revolution of display member 15.

Although I have described an embodiment of. my invention in which thepouring of, liquid from a bot e: nt a, la sis s mulated, I: Wish ithtoters Patent and what I claim is:

1'. An animated display comprising an oscillating display member, asecond oscillating display member, and a rotating display membersimulating the transfer of liquid from the first display member to thesecond display member.

2; An animated display comprising an oscillating displayv membersimulating a liquid dispensing container, a simulated receptacle, asecond oscillatingdisplay member simulating liquid in said receptacle,anda rotatingdispzlay-member. simulating. liquidfiowing from thedispensing container ioytnereee tane;

3?. An animated display comprising an. oscillatingfdispl'ay membersimulating a, liquid dispensing container, a simulated jreceptaclera second oscillating display member simulating liquid.-

in said receptacle, and'g'a. rotating display mem-= ber simulatingliquid flowing from the dispensing; on er tdthe re eptacle. a me sactuat d by. said rotating display 'memberifo'r, actuating: theaforesaid oscillating display. members.

4. An animated display comprising a fixed display board, va slottherein, a rotating display member .behindsaid'fslot simulating. the,appear anceof liquidiflowing pastfthe slot, anoscillating displaymember. simulating a liquid dispensing display. member operatedby saidrotating; display member, a simulatedreceptacle,and a sect 0ndoscillating, display member simulating liquid filling said receptacleoperated by. said rotating display member. I i

5..Ananimated. display for simulating-' the effect of liquid-filling a,receptacle therefcr, com;-

prising a simulated receptacle, an oscillating liquid simulating,display member'- located insuch a position relative to ,saidreceptacleas will tend to make said display member. appear tobe within saidreceptacle, and means for oscillating said liquid simulating member.

6. An animated display; for. simulating. the effect-of liquid filling-areceptacle therefor, comprisinga simulated receptacle; an oscillating qd Simulating d p memb r o a ed-interim a position relative to saidreceptacle, as willtend tomake said displaymember' appearto bewithinsaid receptacle; a rotatingdisplay member. simu;

lating a stream of liquid flowing intosaid re-. ceptacle, and meansoperated by said. rotating display member for-actuating the aforesaid05- cillatingdisplay member;

'7. An animated display for simulating the fi t fl q d fil in rec pta leher or-mom prising a simulated receptacle, an oscillating liquid;simulating display memb'er located in such a: position relative to said?receptacle as will tend to make said displaymember appear'tobewithinsaid receptacle, and a rotating display member simulatin'ga streamof liquid flowing into said receptacle. V i

8; An animated display forsimulating theefiect of liquid filling areceptacletherefor, com; prising a simulated ne'ceptacle; an oscillatingliquidasimulating display member-r located in sucha position relative tosaid receptacl'evasiwill tend:

to make said display member appear to be within said receptacle, a slottherein having the configuration of a stream of liquid, and a rotatingdisplay member revolving behind said slot for simulating the appearanceof liquid issuing from the container and flowing past the slot in astream having the configuration of said slot.

9. An animated display for simulating the effect of a stream of liquidissuing from a container, comprising an oscillating display member forsimulating the efiect of a container being tilted for pouring, and arotating display member behind said container for giving an illusion ofliquid pouring from the mouth of said container.

10. An animated display for simulating the efiect of a stream of liquidissuing from a container comprising a fixed display board, a slottherein having the configuration of a stream of liquid, an oscillatingdisplay member for simulating the eflect of a container being tilted forpouring, a rotating display member revolving behind said slot forsimulating the appearance of liquid issuing from the container andflowing past the slot in a stream having the configuration of said slot.

11. An animated display comprising a fixed display board, a slottherein, a rotating display member bearing upon a fraction of its face arepresentation behind said slot simulating the appearance of liquidflowing past the slot, an

oscillating display member simulating a liquid dispensing displaymember, a simulated receptacle, a second oscillating display membersimulating liquid filling said receptacle, cam means operated by saidrotating display member for tilting said first oscillating displaymember during the period when the liquid representation is passingbehind the aforementioned slot, and other cam means operated by saidrotating display member for actuating the second oscillating displaymember in appropriate relationship to the movement of said liquidrepresentation past said sloth 12. An animated display for simulatingthe effect of a stream of liquid issuing from a container comprising afixed display board, a slot therein having the configuration of a streamof liquid, an oscillating display member for simulating the eflect of acontainer being tilted for pouring, a rotating display member bearingupon a fraction of its face a representation revolving behind said slotfor simulating the appearance of liquid issuing from the container andflowing past the slot in a stream having the configuration of said slot,and cam means operated by said rotating display member for tilting saidoscillating display member during the period when the liquidrepresentation is passing behind the aforementioned slot.

CHESTER H. KRAEMER.

